Monday, 17 March 2014

Dieting has been around since the 18th Century, spurred by one man’s need to regain the health he had lost due to obesity. But it only gained momentum in the 19th Century, with the introduction of the ‘Banting’ diet, a role model for some of our current diets.

The biggest myth with regard to dieting is that ‘Dieting means skipping meals, eating 1000 kcal or lesser in a day, or simply starving’. The truth is that by skipping meals or starving yourself, your body will be unable to meet the bare minimum calorie requirement of the day. This in turn slows down your metabolism rate and also hampers the functioning of all vital organs. Also, your weight may dip temporarily as you will jump to your original weight the minute you switch back to your original eating pattern.

Dieting should mean eating right and balancing your nutrients intake, instead of starvation. Try and understand your body, especially your metabolism rate, as it can help you tailor a diet to help you lose weight in the right manner. Here are some simple steps you can follow:

1. Eat a heavy breakfast, a light lunch, and a frugal dinner2. Increase the frequency of your meals. Include three small meals between your main meals3. Concentrate on low glycemic index foods and ensure that you incorporate sufficient protein in the diet4. Increase your water intake, as low glycemic index foods require more water to digest well5. Avoid tea and coffee, as they dehydrators the body

As you would have noticed, the underlying message here is to ‘Not Starve’. When you eat healthy, you lose weight easily while remaining fit.